Nine rivals for Buveur D’Air’s Champion bid

Horse Racing
Punchestown target for Buveur D'Air

Buveur D’Air will have to overcome nine rivals in his attempt to win a third successive Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The eight-year-old is one of two JP McManus-owned horses to feature in the race along with Gavin Cromwell’s stable star Espoir D’Allen as he looks to become only the sixth horse to win the two-mile contest on three occasions.

The McManus-owned Istabraq was the last horse to do it with the third win coming 19 years ago back in 2000.

And, while Henderson will hope for success with Buveur D’Air, he also has International Hurdle winner Brain Power and impressive mare Verdana Blue featuring in his quest to make it eight Champion Hurdle wins.

Indeed Verdana Blue is likely to be the main threat to Buveur D’Air given that she got the better of him in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton and will receive the 7lb mares’ allowance from the geldings.

Gordon Elliott’s Apple’s Jade and the Willie Mullins-trained Laurina are other big threats to be declared with the rest of the field made up by last season’s runner-up Melon, Sharjah, Ben Pauling’s Global Citizen and the Evan Williams-trained Silver Streak.

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